Aromatics prices, markets & analysis

ICIS provides independent and unbiased pricing information, news and market analysis for the global Aromatics markets. Our suite of services will give you the prices, and analysis of the factors driving the prices, that you need to make confident commercial decisions.

Our network of price reporters and analysts, based in Asia, Europe and the Americas, deliver local insight for each of these markets. Understand the factors driving the European market in the daily aromatics price report and get a view of the individual Benzene, Styrene, Xylene and Toluene markets through the suite of individual regional reports, news service and real time price alerts.

Market Overview

ICIS has a global network of reporters in Houston, London, Singapore, Shanghai, Mumbai and Moscow, ensuring unrivalled coverage of established and emerging markets.

Our reporters develop expert knowledge of the specific markets they cover, developing contacts and building knowledge of the market on a local and global basis, in order to offer insight into prices and the factors driving prices.This expertise enables us to produce independent and accurate price assessments which are relied on by key market makers for their decision making.

Our petrochemical and chemical pricing information is published in individual reports, dependent on the different regions we cover for each market, including Aromatics.

Price forecast services

Produced by the ICIS Consulting team, these reports give a robust rolling 12-month price forecast, trade balances and in-depth analysis into where markets are heading – providing a valuable tool to support your short- to medium-term plans.

Dashboard – Easy access to ICIS pricing data

ICIS pricing intelligence is delivered to you online via the ICIS dashboard. Here you can view your reports and also access other useful services including related news, analysis, historical data and market alerts.

ICIS dashboard also makes it easy for you to create pricing charts, download price history and export data to create tailored analytical models.

Margin reports

ICIS weekly margin reports deliver the detail you need to understand how production costs and prices are affecting margins, enabling you to judge the likely impact on your business and optimise your upstream and downstream business decisions.

Supply and Demand Window on ICIS Dashboard

The Supply and Demand Window on the ICIS Dashboard provides a snapshot view of historical and forecast information for supply and demand, production capacity and trade flows – a key tool to help safeguard future investments within the chemicals market.

News service

24-hour global coverage of breaking news in the petrochemical industry, including updates on production, shutdowns and key transacted deals, keeping you informed of market developments as they happen. The ICIS news service allows you to customise the market alerts delivered to your email inbox, providing the business-critical information you need straightaway.

ICIS Chemical Business magazine

If you want to keep updated on the factors driving price movements in the global chemical markets, ICIS Chemical Business provides a summary of the information you need to support your business decisions. Every week, our global team of experts digests and summarises the key issues and their potential impact on the market – all in one magazine.

Supply & Demand Data

An expert view of supply and demand comprising four fully-reconciled databases, giving you access to extensive data for more than 100 markets. Information is included on global and regional trade flows, production, capacity and sources of demand in the short-, medium- and long-term. Data can be downloaded, customised and queried to support your planning requirements and your strategic decisions.

Training courses

ICIS provides specialist training courses across the global petrochemicals, base oils and fertilizers industries. Our training team of industry experts can help you increase your knowledge of the industry and gain the insight and know-how needed to operate and trade effectively.

Find out more about ICIS training courses >>

Conferences

ICIS produces a series of highly informative and timely conferences. Extensive research is carried out to ensure that each programme delivers the information you need and addresses current industry issues. We source speakers who have the appropriate expertise and experience to deliver excellent quality papers.

Global markets

Working closely with you to understand your strategies, challenges and ambitions, the ICIS consulting team deliver tailored advice and solutions to suit your unique requirements. With many years’ experience of guiding business leadership teams, we show you how market conditions can make a positive or negative impact on your long-term plans.

China markets

ICIS expert consultants can provide your organisation with the insight, intelligence and data needed to build and grow your business in China. We can help you to gain a clear view on the short and long-term supply and demand picture in the chemicals, energy, iron and steel, non-ferrous metals and paper and pulp markets in China.

Methodology

ICIS price assessments are based on information gathered from a wide cross-section of the market, comprising consumers, producers, traders and distributors from more than 250 reporters world-wide. Confirmed deals, verified by both buyer and seller, provide the foundation of our price assessments.

Our in-depth market knowledge drives our specialist focus, as we recognise the importance of individual market dynamics and not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Over 25 years of reporting on key chemicals markets, including Aromatics, has brought global recognition of our methodology as being unbiased, authoritative and rigorous in preserving our editorial integrity. Our global network of reporters in Houston, London, Singapore, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Mumbai, Perth and Moscow ensures unrivalled coverage of established and emerging markets.

About Aromatics

Benzene is used primarily as a raw material in the synthesis of styrene (polystyrene plastics and synthetic rubber), phenol (phenolic resins), cyclohexane (nylon), aniline, maleic anhydride (polyester resins), alkylbenzenes (detergents) and chlorobenzenes. It is used as a chemical intermediate in the manufacture of ethylbenzene, cumene, nitrobenzene, anthraquinone, benzene hexachloride, benzene sulphonic acid, biphenyl, hydroquinone and other products used in the production of drugs, dyes, insecticides and plastics.

Around 53% of benzene demand is accounted for in ethylbenzene/styrene production. The second largest consumer is cumene/phenol at 18%, followed by cyclohexane at 14%, chlorobenzene/nitrobenzene at 7% and alkylbenzene at 3%.

Other end-uses include adhesives, radios, toys, sporting goods, appliances, automobiles, tyres, and textiles. Benzene has been used in the rotogravure printing industry, preparation and use of inks in the graphic arts industries, in extraction and rectification, in shoe manufacturing, as a thinner for paints, as a degreasing agent and as a component of motor vehicle gasoline.